The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-12-02

their fire, were waving . white flag Al
summons to surrender.
| '.Don't answerr' he cried. withou,
removing his eyes from the boy. who
was already in the plain. but who was
no longer running. and who appeared
to be dragging himself along with diff.
ficulty.
but get on! run!' said the Captain.
grinding his teeth and clenching his
fists; "kill yourself. die. scoundrcl, but
60 On!' Then horrible oath burr.
from him. 'Ah! the infamous coward,
he has sat down. In fact the boy,
whose head. till now. he had seen pro-
jecting above wheat field, had disap.
pearcd. rs if he had fallen. But i'm a
moment his head came into view again;
finally he was lost behind the hedges,
and the Captain saw him no more.
He then flew downstairs; it was
raining bullets; the rooms were encum.
bcred with the wounded; some of them
rcelcd about like drunken men. catch
ing at the furniture; walls and floor
were spattered with blood; corpscs
were lying across the doors; the lieu
tenants arm had been broken by a
ball; every thing was in whirl OF
smoke and dust.
'Courage!' yelled the Captain.
"Stick to your posts. Relief is coming!
Courage for little while lOnger!'
The Austrians had drawn nearer yet,
their contortcd faces doomed through
the smoke. above the rattle of the firing
rose their savage cries. insulting. de-
handing surrender. threatening
slaughter. Occasionally soldier,
terror-s.rickcn. retreated from the
window; the sergeant drove him back.
But the defenders fire was slackening;
their faces showed discouragemcnt; it
was impossible to prolong the resist
ance. Suddenly the firing of the Aus
trians s,ackcned. and laundering
voice shouted. first in German. then in
Italian:
''Surrenderr'
..No!' howled the Captain from a
window. And the firing began again
steadier and ticrcer on both sides. More
soldiers fell. Already more than one
window was without defenders. The
fatal moment was close ut hand. The
Captain was muttering between his
teeth in broken voice: They're not
coming! They're not coming!' and
he ran furiously about, twisting his
saber i'm his clenched hand, resolved to
die, when sergeant coming down
from the garnet. cried in a loud voice:
They're coming!'
They're comlng!' the Captain re-
peated. with shout of joy. At this
shout all. unhurt, wounded. sergcants
and officers. rushed to the windows,
and once more resistance grew fierce.
A few moments after. a sort of uncer-
tainty and beginning of disorder were
remarked in the enemy. Immediately,
in great haste. the Captain formed
a small company down stairs.
with fixed bayonets ready to
make a sally. Then he flew up
stairs again. He had scarcely got up
there when they heard hurried tread.
accompanied by formidable hurrah,
and from the windows they saw adj
vancing through the smoke the two
corncrcd hats of the Italian carabineers.
a squadron dashing along at full speed,
and the flashing of sword blades
brandished in the air. desccnding Oh the
heads, shoulders and backs of the
enemy. Then the little troop rushed
out of the door with lowered bayonets:
the enemy wavered. became disorder
ed and took to flight; the ground re-
manned clear, the house was free, and
short time after the height was Oc-
cupied by two battalions of infantry
and two cannon.
The Captain, with his remaining
soldiers. rejoined his regiment. fought
again, and was slightly wounded in
the left hand by glancing ball. in the
last bayonet charge. The day ended
in victory for u.s..
But the day after. the fight having
begun again. the Italians were over
whclmed. in spite of brave resist
ance, by the superior number of the
Austrians, and on the morning of the
,, 10Th they were compelled to retreat
sorrowfully toward the Mincio.
The Captain, although wounded,
| marched on foot with his soldiers, who
were tired and silent and toward sum
set reached Goito on the Mincio, and
Immediately sought out his lieutenant,
who had been picked up. with broken
arm. by our ambulance, and who had
arrived there first He was directed to
a church. where a field hospital had
hastily been installed. He went there.
The church was full of wounded. re-
clining on two rows OF beds and mat
tresses stretched on the floor; two doc
tors and various assistants were anx-
iously going and coming. and stified
cries and groans were heard.
On entering the Captain stopped
and looked about him. in search of
his officer. Just then he heard faint
voice close by. calling to him:
"Captainr'
He turned around; it was the drum
mer boy; he was stretched OH \ trestle
bed. covered up to the chest by coarse
window curtain with little red and
white squares. with his arms out; he
was pale and thin. but with his eyes
still sparkling. like two black gems.
Are you hcre?" the Captain asked
\ l. 1,,f or
ner. Bravo! You did your duty"'